With its thrust into central Ukraine repelled, Russia has moved its goalposts one more time, now saying its goal is to “liberate” the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, and it’s striking strategic targets in central and western Ukraine to impede enemy forces, the Associated Press reports.
The Russians sent attack aircraft and launched missiles to hit five railroad stations and various fuel installations to hinder Ukrainian responses to an anticipated attack in eastern Ukraine. However, unlike Russia, Ukraine is less dependent on rail lines to transport troops and equipment, so the impact on Ukraine’s military response might be less anticipated.
Russia claimed it destroyed 56 strategic targets overnight. Ukraine reports an oil refinery and fuel depots in Kremenchuk, in central Ukraine were hit overnight. Missiles also hit a rail station outside of Lviv, where tens of thousands of refugees are gathered as they try to exit the country during the war.